DOI Artikel:
Jellonek, Szymon: Roman foundation myths on colonial coinage
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49247#0110
SZYMON JELLONEK
106
(RPC I 666), which may have been at most a municipium, the foundation scene is
supposed to allude to the allotting of land to the Caesarian veterans,29 or else it is
simply supposed to symbolize - though this seems less likely - the fecundity of
Sicily.30 As a result, it can be concluded that if one did not interpret the priest with the
oxen shown in these two instances as depicting the act of foundation, at least it would
have indicated the fact that Italic newcomers had settled the territory in question.
Foundation coinage often appeared as the first issue of a newly established colony.
The colony Lampsacus, which had barely been in existence for a decade, released,
between 45 and 35 BC, two issues with the act of foundation (RPC I 2268-2269)
(Pl. 1, Fig. 1). In Emerita, such a depiction was placed on the reverses of the asses (RPC
15-7) (Pl. 1, Fig. 2) in the first issues during the age of Augustus. Much the same is true
in Patras, where the only certain coin struck during the age of Augustus depicted oxen
with a priest on the reverse (RPC 11252) (Pl. 1, Fig. 3). Coins of this type were produced
in Patras up until the age of Marcus Aurelius.31 M. Grant shows that foundation coinages
were struck, in many cases, to commemorate round anniversaries.32 Among other
things, Grant refers to the coin issue from Patras mentioned above, which was supposed
to be struck to commemorate the colony’s 25th anniversary.33 In much the same way,
B. Levick shows that coins from Cremna were struck during the ages of Marcus
Aurelius and Aurelian to celebrate the 200th and 300th anniversary, respectively,
of the city’s foundation.34 Although it is very tempting to combine all the issues
with the foundation type with the successive anniversaries of a given colony’s
foundation, it does not seem possible to do this with regard to most of the issues.
Attempts to do so can lead to significant overinterpretations, as in the case of the
coins of Vespasian from Antioch. These coins are dated to AD 76, which according to
B. Levick is supposed to indicate that this was the 100th anniversary of the colony’s
foundation, which as a result she set at 25 BC.35 This, however, does not stand in
accordance with A. Krzyżanowska’s interpretation,36 while P. A. Brunt has put
in doubt the possibility of determining the foundation year at all.37
The commemorative character of this scene is also evident on a few coins in
which the priest is interpreted as the emperor who founded the colony in question.
As of the age of Hadrian, Cremna struck coins on which it is Augustus who is behind
29 GRANT 1946: 191.
30 BURNETT, AMANDRY and RIPOLLES 1992: 178.
31 PAPAGEORG1ADOU-BANI 2004: 35.
32 GRANT 1946: 291.
33 Ibidem-. 265; PAPAGEORGIADOU-BANI 2004: 48.
34 LEVICK 1967: 35-36.
35 Ibidem'. 34-35.
36 KRZYŻANOWSKA 1970: 13-14.
37 BRUNT 1971: 601.
106
(RPC I 666), which may have been at most a municipium, the foundation scene is
supposed to allude to the allotting of land to the Caesarian veterans,29 or else it is
simply supposed to symbolize - though this seems less likely - the fecundity of
Sicily.30 As a result, it can be concluded that if one did not interpret the priest with the
oxen shown in these two instances as depicting the act of foundation, at least it would
have indicated the fact that Italic newcomers had settled the territory in question.
Foundation coinage often appeared as the first issue of a newly established colony.
The colony Lampsacus, which had barely been in existence for a decade, released,
between 45 and 35 BC, two issues with the act of foundation (RPC I 2268-2269)
(Pl. 1, Fig. 1). In Emerita, such a depiction was placed on the reverses of the asses (RPC
15-7) (Pl. 1, Fig. 2) in the first issues during the age of Augustus. Much the same is true
in Patras, where the only certain coin struck during the age of Augustus depicted oxen
with a priest on the reverse (RPC 11252) (Pl. 1, Fig. 3). Coins of this type were produced
in Patras up until the age of Marcus Aurelius.31 M. Grant shows that foundation coinages
were struck, in many cases, to commemorate round anniversaries.32 Among other
things, Grant refers to the coin issue from Patras mentioned above, which was supposed
to be struck to commemorate the colony’s 25th anniversary.33 In much the same way,
B. Levick shows that coins from Cremna were struck during the ages of Marcus
Aurelius and Aurelian to celebrate the 200th and 300th anniversary, respectively,
of the city’s foundation.34 Although it is very tempting to combine all the issues
with the foundation type with the successive anniversaries of a given colony’s
foundation, it does not seem possible to do this with regard to most of the issues.
Attempts to do so can lead to significant overinterpretations, as in the case of the
coins of Vespasian from Antioch. These coins are dated to AD 76, which according to
B. Levick is supposed to indicate that this was the 100th anniversary of the colony’s
foundation, which as a result she set at 25 BC.35 This, however, does not stand in
accordance with A. Krzyżanowska’s interpretation,36 while P. A. Brunt has put
in doubt the possibility of determining the foundation year at all.37
The commemorative character of this scene is also evident on a few coins in
which the priest is interpreted as the emperor who founded the colony in question.
As of the age of Hadrian, Cremna struck coins on which it is Augustus who is behind
29 GRANT 1946: 191.
30 BURNETT, AMANDRY and RIPOLLES 1992: 178.
31 PAPAGEORG1ADOU-BANI 2004: 35.
32 GRANT 1946: 291.
33 Ibidem-. 265; PAPAGEORGIADOU-BANI 2004: 48.
34 LEVICK 1967: 35-36.
35 Ibidem'. 34-35.
36 KRZYŻANOWSKA 1970: 13-14.
37 BRUNT 1971: 601.